How Social Media is Sabotaging Your Job Search

If you’re looking for a job, you may want to stop and look at your social media profiles first. It seems like an obvious first step but despite all of the stories about people who’ve sabotaged their jobs over a social media post- people are still displaying poor judgment online.

Many companies will search a candidates social media account to get a deeper understanding of that person’s personality, how they present themselves and how they communicate. Sometimes it works in the candidates favor but often, their social media profiles worked against them. According to a survey done by CareerBuilder, the most common red flags for employers are as follows:

Racy Photos: Your future employer should never have to see your provocative photo unless you are looking for a job in a provocative industry (unlikely, right?)

Alcohol: You had a great time with tequila this past Cinco de Mayo but keep those messy memories private.

Rants: Thinking about bad-mouthing your employer online? Even if you leave it up for a minute, someone is sure to screenshot it and let your rant live on long after you try to take it down.

OMG h8trz: Communication is important for every job so be mindful of how much internet shorthand you’re using